New cold case unit to help Arizona’s top prosecutors solve old investigations

PHOENIX — The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is breathing new life into several cold cases across the state.

The office’s new cold case task force, which Attorney General Kris Mayes announced in a Thursday news conference, will investigate five homicides.

“Justice has no expiration date,” Mayes told reporters. “Every cold case represents a life that mattered and a story that deserves to be told.”

Funding for the unit comes from reallocated resources already at the disposal of the attorney general’s office.

What will Arizona cold case task force do?

This cold case task force will work with local law enforcement agencies across Arizona to re-investigate unsolved crimes.

Mayes said that applying fresh eyes, advanced investigative techniques and modern technology, which local agencies might not have access to, could lead to breakthroughs.

“With the advancement of DNA testing, data analysis and other tools that simply did not exist when some of these crimes occurred, we have new opportunities to try to uncover the truth, and to hold those responsible accountable,” Mayes said.

Several cold cases in Arizona have already been solved through the application of modern forensic techniques.

In 2014, Phoenix investigators used advanced DNA testing to identify the suspect in a fatal 2008 stabbing.

The Phoenix Police Department later arrested the suspect in November 2024 after his extradition from Mexico.

What are the five Arizona cold cases the new unit is investigating?

Some of the cases date back as far as 1992. Here are a few details about the current investigations:

• Leslie Karen Good, 39, who was found dead in her home near North Litchfield Rd and East Loma Linda Dr. in Goodyear on June 3, 2008.
• Sabino Lopez, 21, who was shot in the area of 91st Ave and West Garfield Street in Tolleson on June 9, 2018.
• Diana Shawcroft and Jennifer Lueth, whose remains were found in a remote area of Yavapai County after last being seen at a convenience store on May 24, 1996.
• Victoria Lacey, 25, who was stabbed near 47th Avenue and Orangewood in Glendale on Aug. 13, 2012.
• Melody Harrison, 15, whose remains were found south of US 60 and west of Idaho Road in Apache Junction on Aug. 6, 1992.

Further details about each case can be found on the unit’s website.

How to help Arizona cold case task force

“Solving these cases will require the help of the public, whether it’s sharing information, coming forward with tips or remembering details that may have seemed insignificant at the time,” Mayes said.

Anyone with information is urged to email coldcases@azag.gov. To be fully anonymous, tipsters can contact Silent Witness.

“Even the smallest piece of information can make the difference in bringing justice to a family that has been waiting for so so long for answers,” Mayes said.